Adjustable flush valve bracket



May 14, 1957' J. W. PLATT, SR, ETAL ADJUSTABLE FLUS H VALVE BRACKET Filed Feb. 4, 1954 mmvrom JOHN m PLA T7, .92., 06689550 8y Been/4 L, PLATT, [XECUfE/X uo/m/ W. PA A W, we.

United States Patent ADJUSTABLE FLUSH VALVE BRACKET John W. Platt, Sr., deceased, late of Waterville, Conn., by Bertha L. Platt, executrix, Waterville, Conn., and John W. Platt, Jr., Waterville, Conn.

Application February 4, 1954, serial No. 408,269 1 1 Claim. or. 4-57 This invention relates to flush valve guide brackets, and more particularly to a device of this character adapted to guide the stem of a ball discharge valve of a flushing tank for water closets and the like.

One object of this invention is to provide a bracket of the above nature in which the valve stem may be adjusted relative to the overflow pipe so as to accurately center the ball flush valve upon its seat in the outlet pipe.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature in which the valve stem guide bracket may be quickly and easily adjusted both vertically and horizontally with respect to the overflow pipe, and locked simultaneously in adjusted position by a pair of clamping members.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature in which the principal parts may be formed out of flat metal stock, thereby producing an article of greater durability than was possible with previous types of brackets made by casting.

A further object is to provide a guide bracket of the above nature which may be adjusted to fit various diameters of overflow pipes, and also rfit the valve stem to the center of the outlet pipe.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature in which a pair of end screws are provided for holding a pair of rear and front clamps upon the overflow pipe and also to lock the stem adjusting bracket in place.

A further object is to provide a bracket of the above nature which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install and manipulate, compact, ornamental in appearance, and very eflicient and durable m use.

With these and other objects in view, there have been illustrated on the accompanying drawing, two forms in which the invention may conveniently be embodied in practice.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 represents a side view of the hush valve guide bracket of the first form as it appears in use supported on the overflow pipe of a flush tank.

Fig. 2 is a perspective trout view of the first form of two part flush valve guide bracket, shown by itself.

Fig. 3 is a similar rear perspective view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the first form of two part guide bracket as it appears when attached to an overflow pipe.

Fig. 5 is a top view of a modified form of two part flush valve guide bracket, attached to an overflow pipe.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the same, shown by itself.

The present application relates to an improvement over the device disclosed in Patent #l,991,907 granted February 19, 1935 to John W. Platt.

Referring now to the drawing, in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views,

ice

The numeral 10 indicates a hollow rubber float valve of standard construction adapted to fit upon a seat n11 formed in a base 12. The valve seat 1 1 is in communication with an outlet pipe 13 leading to a closet bowl and has an offset lug 14 for supporting a vertical overflow pipe 15.

The floatvalve 10 is provided with an upstanding valve stem 16 and is adapted to be centralized with respect tothe valve seat '11 by means of an adjustable bracket-member generally indicated by the numeral 17.

The upper end ofthevalve stem 16 is provided with an eye '18 which-is adapted to be loosely connected to a pull link 19 which may be manuallyop'erated through suit-able linkage mechanism-(not shown) for lifting the float valve 10, from its seat to operate theflush when-' ever'desired- The adjustable bracket 17 consists of three essential parts; a horizontal sliding valve member 20, a rear pipe clamp 21, and aforward pipe clamp 25.

The rear pipe clamp 21 is provided with an angular section 22 for engaging the overflow pipe 15, and a turned-over end 23 having a threaded aperture 24.

The forward clamp 25 is provided with an angular section 26 having a pair of inwardly extending ends 27, 28 as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.

Provision is also made of a pair of horizontal locking and adjusting screws 29 and 30 which are located in the aperture 24 in the member 23, and an aperture 25a in the member 25 respectively.

'In order to lock the screws 29 and 30 in adjusted position, provision is made of a pair of thumb nuts 31, 32 secured on the outer ends of said screws, which thumb nuts engage the opposite end sections of the clamp 25.

The screw 30 is provided with a square head 3-3 which his within :a pair 'of side flanges 20b and 200 formed on the member 20.

Provision is also made of an elongated slot 20a in the guide member 20 to permit said member to slide with respect to the screw 30 in order to centralize the stem 16 with respect to the center of the outlet pipe 18. The guide member 20 has a vertical guide sleeve 34 at one end.

Modified form In the second form of the invention, provision is made of a rear clamp 40 having an angular overflow pipe engaging section 41, and bent ends 42, 43.

The end 43 has three apertures 44, '45, 46 for selectively receiving a reduced tongue 48, formed on the outer end of a front clamp 47 which has an angular section 49 for engaging the overflow pipe 15.

In this form of the invention, a slidable guide 50 is provided similar to the guide 20 in the first form of the invention, said guide 50 having a sleeve '51 for the stem 16. The guide 50 is slotted for adjustably receiving a horizontal screw 52 in the same manner as the headed screw 30 in the first form (Fig. 2).

A thumb nut 53 on the screw 52 serves to hold the clamps 40 and 47 in any desired adjusted position with respect to the tongue 48 and the apertures '44, 45, 46 and also to hold the slidable guide 50 in adjusted position.

One advantage of the present invention is that a single bracket will take care of all sizes of overflow pipes and all positions of the center of the outlet pipe, instead of requiring a plurality of sizes of bracket as was formerly the case.

While there has been disclosed in this specification, several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from. its spirit. In short the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claim.

Having thus fully described the invention what is de scribed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

In a flush valve bracket, a two part device for embracing the upright overflow pipe of a flush tank, said device comprising a pair of opposed outwardly convex complementary strip metal members, means at one end of said clamping device to adjustably secure said strip metal members together, one of said members having a straight end at the opposite end of said device, a guide member slidably mounted on said straight end and having. a vertical. sleeve on its 'outer extremity for guiding the vertical stem of a ball float valve, said guide member having an elongated horizontal slot, horizontal screw means passing through said slot and the other strip metal member for locking said guide member in adjusted position with respect to said valve stem, the end of said other strip metal member adjacent said guide member being bent at right angles into abutment with said valve guide member the opposite end of said other strip member being also bent at right angles thereto to freely overlap the adjacent end of said one strip member, said adjacent end of said one strip member being reversely bent upon itself to reinforce the construction thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

